March 2019

March 2019 Issue 23

Delivered to

10,000

Homes!

See our advert on page 2 to meet the team at COMBI DOCTOR and learn more about our new venture COMBI CARE

Established in 2010, ‘COMBI DOCTOR’ has become the area’s leading plumbing, heating and ‘GAS SAFE REGISTERED’ contractor With our ‘TRUSTMARK’ and ‘WIGAN TRUSTED TRADER’ accreditations we have built up a large number of loyal customers in the form of landlords, commercial refurbishment contractors, letting agents - including some very major corporate ones with portfolios of hundreds of properties - and of course, the general public. This has been achieved by offering prompt, reliable and honest service at reasonable prices.

Headed up by Andy, who, over many years in the business, has gained a wealth of knowledge in the plumbing, heating and general construction industry, competently assisted in the office by Karen, our operations manager, who has extensive administrational and customer service experience, whilst employing a skilled and friendly team of ‘GAS SAFE REGISTERED’ heating engineers and plumbers, we are able to attend to all manner of plumbing and heating emergencies, (including LPG fuelled heating appliances), also carrying out installation work both in private homes and commercial environments. All are fully equipped with tracked vans and can provide instant feedback to our office using our internet based operating system.

Working with gas can be potentially dangerous and is obviously a specialised job which must only be carried out by suitably qualified individuals and businesses who are ‘GAS SAFE REGISTERED’. Never trust this work to ‘the local plumber’ or ‘odd job man’. By relying on ‘COMBI DOCTOR’ you can rest assured that we are fully qualified and insured for all aspects of the work we carry out and NEVER take your safety for granted.

We are also now proud to announce the launch of our sister company ‘COMBI CARE’, where - for a set monthly fee, from less than only £8 per month, our customers, be they individuals or landlords, can rest assured in the knowledge that should emergency strike we will be on hand quickly to resolve the vast majority of issues, without the burden of what can often be a substantial, unwelcome and unexpected expense! This peace of mind also includes an annual boiler service, a task which is often overlooked but essential to maintain a manufacturer’s warranty on a new boiler and possibly to detect potential problems before your boiler fails completely, which as we all know will usually be on the coldest day of the year! If you are a landlord an annual safety inspection for all gas appliances at the property is also mandatory and this too is included as part of this service. If this is something which is of interest, or if you would like a chat about anything gas or plumbing related, please give Karen or Andy a call on 01942 538211 where we look forward to being of assistance!

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Welcome to the March Issue of Local Living Well as I type this the weather outside is beautiful. The warmest February in a long time I believe? Our gardening tips on page 6 have a certain ’Spring’ theme to them.

Hard to believe It was only a matter of weeks ago that we had our ‘snow day’. We asked for some of your lovely pictures to be sent in and you certainly answered the call!

Take a look at page 13 and see if you can spot someone you know. I’m sure, given the 100+ pictures, you will!

The lovely Andy and Karen from Combi Doctor feature on our front cover this month. They are a fab local business.

You can read all about their new ‘combicare’ offer on the opposite page.

In the next issue we are hoping to bring you lots of things to do for the Easter hols. As always if you have a story or you would like to place an advert call 07507071411 or email contact@localliving.online.

The Editor Do you have some spare time and want to keep yourself fit?

Due to expansion in a new area we are looking for reliable people to deliver our monthly magazines. Access to a car would be ideal as your route maybe out of this area. Call 07507071411 or email contact@localliving.online for more information.

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I'm Heather, an accredited 1:1 Diet Cambridge Weight Plan Consultant. Like many, I’m a busy working mum of two young children and I didn’t have time to consider ME but then I was introduced to The 1:1 Diet by Cambridge Weight Plan and I was surprised how easy it fitted into my life. Within a few weeks I had lost those extra pounds that were making me feel uncomfortable.

I was so impressed with the rapid weight loss results that I decided to open my own Centre based in Lowton. This diet is proving to be so successful that I have increased my working hours to offer my availability and commitment to you.

I work full time, 6 days a week including evenings covering Lowton, Golborne, Leigh, Atherton, Westhoughton, Astley, Tyldesley, Culcheth, Glazebrook, Warrington, Irlam, Newton-Le-Willows, Winwick and all the surrounding areas.

In today’s fast growing society we all have busy lives, whether it be busy with family, enjoying a social life or working those long hours. It's so easy to grab the nearest unhealthy thing to eat in order to get you through the day but now, with The 1:1 Diet, you can eat as you go, whilst enjoying our delicious filling foods.

I offer a friendly caring consultancy, working with you to tailor a diet that suits your needs and lifestyle. I offer a long term weight loss after care management to help you stay at your goal. I am 100% committed to my business and my clients. I also offer out of hours support, texts, phone calls and a private Facebook support group for my clients only. I will do anything to help my clients reach their weight loss goals. I’m turning dreams into reality!

The 1:1 Diet by Cambridge Weight Plan is a high protein diet using a wide range of tasty products. You will lose weight quickly due to the low calorie balance of the plan but be assured that following it ensures you have all vitamins and minerals your body needs, nothing more and nothing less.

It is important to follow the maintenance steps when your goal is reached to introduce different foods back into your diet and to help you maintain your weight.

There is a reason the diet has been around since 1984, it works. But don’t just take my word for it, in November 10 new brand ambassadors for 2019 were announced at the UK Annual Cambridge Weight Plan Convention. This incredible group of people have lost a phenomenal amount of weight between them.

Their inspirational stories and transformations won the hearts of the judges as they were selected as the winner of their categories. You can read all about them on our ShakeItUp website.

www.cambridgeweightplan.com/HTinker

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Although March is, meteorologically speaking, the first month of spring, it can be a cold month, and so too can April, with hard frosts. So beware. Garden centres are famous for being too early off the mark...think of Christmas that starts in August as far as they are concerned. This month and through April garden centres and some stores will have half-hardy bedding and hanging basket plants for sale. Buy them and get them planted now, and soon you will be putting the dead plants on the compost heap and buying another batch. Unless you have a heated greenhouse, wait until early May. I try to get my shrub roses and buddleias pruned sometime in March. Earlier, if the weather is mild, buds may burst that are then damaged by a sudden hard frost. Prune in March and damage is less likely.

There is another reason to leave pruning buddleias until quite late. The other name for the buddleia is the butterfly bush and every garden ought to have at least two, ideally one of the varieties with characteristic long plume like flowers, and one with rounded globular flowers. If you don’t prune them or prune them earlier in winter, then the best of the flowers will be over

by August, when there are more butterfly species about: peacocks, red admirals, painted ladies and, in some years, clouded yellows should then be abundant, as well as the commoner speckled wood and the small and greater whites. If you want to learn and enjoy British butterflies, get some buddleias and prune them in late March! And prune them hard, cutting back most of last year’s growth. Then you will get strong, floriferous shoots.

Many gardening books tell us to sow early vegetables like broad beans and the first garden peas in February, and that is fine for the Soft South of the country. But up here, in the Macho North, the weather is a bit harder so it is better to wait until March. A few years ago I sowed broad beans in mid February and in mid March, and the March ones caught up and we harvested both at the same time. But if you have an electric propagator and frostfree conservatory or greenhouse to bring the seedlings on, you can get sowing lots of vegetables now: tomatoes, onions, summer cabbages, lettuces, sprouts, leeks, parsnips and the first beetroot (try the beetroot Wodan).

My grandfather, who had an allotment from 1919 when he returned from the First World War, used to tell me to plant my early potatoes on Good Friday. But, being a church warden, he ought to have realised that that Easter Sunday is the first Sunday after the first full moon on or after the 21th March (the Pascal Moon), so Good Friday may be well in to April, as it is this year on the 19th. Should we wait until then? I will plant my early potatoes at the very end of March, and if a frost is forecast when the shoots are through, cover them overnight with fleece.

Have you some fruit bushes or trees? Give them a feed in late March of a general fertiliser, such as blood, fish and bone, or Growmore: about 2oz (a handful) per square yard. Likewise herbaceous perennials: tidy them up and give them a feed.

Soon everything will be growing like mad. Hurrah!

Malcolm Greenhalgh Newton-le-Willows Gardeners’ Association’s Advice & Sales Hut, on Rob Lane, is open Saturday and Sunday mornings, 10.30- noon.

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We are pleased to announce our Young Slimmer of the year at the Travelodge on Tuesday is Nicole Pryal. Nicole has been a member of the group for just 23 weeks and has lost an incredible 3stone 5.5lb in that time. Nicole originally joined back in November to lose weight for her cruise holiday in January. She went away feeling amazing and made such good choice whilst she was away she saw a weight loss on her return. With all that free food to choose from your holidays don't need to get in your way! We are so proud, well done Nicole If like Nicole you would like to feeling amazing on your summer holiday join one of us this week, we can't wait to meet you

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Monday Men wanted for Parkside Colliery Male Voice Choir.

Meet every Monday at 7:30p at Congregational Church, Hilton Street. Ashton www.parksidecollierymvc.co.uk 2nd & 4th Monday of month Coffee & craft at Lowton IM Church, Newton Road, Lowton. 1:30-3pm. Come for tea and cake and learn a new craft or just have a chat. Everyone welcome.

Third Monday of the month Leigh & District Antique and collectable society. From Sept-March at 7:30pm (except Dec for Christmas outing) at Leigh Rugby Union Club, Hand Lane. New member & visitors welcome. Different speakers each month.

Contact Colin on 01942 673521 or find us on facebook.

Tuesday MemorabLEIGH every Tuesday 1-3pm at the Old Grammar School in Railway Road, Leigh (in the same block as Oceans Eleven Chippy). The group is aimed at anyone over 50 who wants to talk about their life in Leigh and/or the history of the town. Each week we discuss a different topic. £4 per session inc refreshments. If you are interested in joining email contactus@healthyarts.org.uk or phone Martin on 07542 114383 Tuesday 8pm The Three Towns Operatics Society rehearse at Tyldesley Methodist Church, Elliott Street, Tyldesley M29 8JE For more information contact Ursula Lightford on 01942 6670287 www.threetowns.net Last Tuesday of the month 7:30pm. Community room, Manor Court. Have your say about what is happening locally and help improve our area. All welcome.

Wednesday The Paperback Writers meet at 10:30-12:30 at The Coffee Stop in Railway Road, Leigh. You don’t need to be experienced just keen to develop and share your work, and a sense of humour! £6 per session. Email juleswriter@hotmail.com for further information.

Wednesday Leigh Community Choir meets 7:30-9pm at The Turnpike Gallery above Leigh Library WN7 1EB. It’s £2.50 per session and everyone is welcome!

Wednesday LGN Choir rehearse every Wednesday evening at 7:30-9:30pm at Cross Lane United Church in Newton-Le-Willows.

Enquiries should go via our website which is www.lgncc.co.uk Thursday 8:30-12. Coffee & chat Lowton St Mary’s, Newton rd.

Lowton WI held their first meeting of the year on the 7th February, as usual our theme was keep fit for the new year which featured Walking Netball, the team was led by Anna Leyland who is a coach from "Wigan back to Sport" Firstly we had a demonstration by members of 'Wigan Wigglers' walking netball team, next it was time for our members to have a go, it was lovely to see so many of our members taking part and having a great time, there was certainly a lot of giggling going on.

Hopefully having had a insight as to how much fun this type of exercise is, may inspire some of our members to join the walking netball club on a regular basis.

Lowton WI meet on the first Thursday of the month at 7.15pm the meetings are held at Lowton Social Club on Newton Road Lowton.

For anyone thinking about joining the Women's Institute and would like to arrange a visit to see what us ladies get up to, please contact Lin Hayes on 01942 207764 Visitors are always made very welcome.

Thursday Lowton and Golborne art group meets every Thursday at Leigh and Lowton Sailing Club from 10 till 4 and enjoy not only the freedom to express their artistic talents but also engage socially with other members with similar interests.

Second and fourth Friday of the month

Knit and natter held in St Luke’s church on Slag Lane. 2-4pm.

Lots of chatting and cup of tea and a biscuit 50p towards costs.

Third Wednesday of the month

Leigh Arthritis Care Support Group meet every 3rd Wednesday in the month at Kingsleigh Methodist Church Community Building, free car park to rear of church in Cook Street off Railway Road.

1.30-4pm Supporting people with arthritis, family and carers with information, support and a warm welcome. Contact John 01942 704704.

Fourth Wednesday of the month

Golborne & District Townswomen s' Guild meet at Northfield Court, Lowton Rd. Golborne from 7pm. - 9pm. We provide speakers, and social activities. Please contact Avril on 01942 726 033 for further details.

Saturday 9th March - doors open at 7pm

Milltown Sound 10th Anniversary show. A spectacular evening of music from an international award winning barbershop chorus.

With special guests: Tanglewood, Sound House and Lads Acapella. Tickets £15 (£7.50 for under 13’s) available from milltownsound@outlook.com or on the door.

Saturday 30th March - 10:30-15:30

BiGG Spring Fair, Golborne Sports and Social Club. Free admission. For more info please contact bigg.wa33@gmail.com

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Make your Tokens Count at Asda Golborne

Golborne Morris Dancers Help to get new uniforms for the 2019 season

Byrchall High School

To help host an event each year for the local elderly residents.

Golborne Parkside ARLFC Under 7’s GOLBORNE RESIDENTIAL CARE HOME POETS CORNER MARKS THE 40th ANNIVERSARY OF THE GOLBORNE TOWN PIT DISASTER IN POETRY

To help fund new training equipment

To mark the 40th anniversary of the Golborne Town Pit disaster which happened on March 18th, 1979 when an explosion and fireball at the local Golborne colliery, resulted in ten men dead and one man badly injured a local poet requested the help of Golborne House Residential Care Home Poetry Corner on a project to translate a poem called “The Bench by the Old Squeaky Gate” which is about thoughts of that terrible day in 1979, into the local Lancashire dialect as spoken at that time.

Copies of the version of the poem are shown being presented to members of the Golborne House Poetry Corner residents, Barbara and Stan (seated) and their Activities Co-ordinator Mrs Elizabeth Bates, by the poems author Bob Welch, who said, the poem was a very thought provoking project for everyone involved, prompting lots of input and discussion from within the community and the poetry group, with many vivid memories of that day 40 years ago.

The Bench by the Old Squeaky Gate

By Bob Welch 2019 There’s a bench by an old squeaky gate in the town Where miners sat when not down the pit They would sit all day even when the day was grey Even when there was nothing to say They would talk about their families and jobs down the pit They even went there sometimes with their wives and kids They talked about rugby and all sorts of things There was always laughing and joking and having a good time There was even talk of leaving a warm bed to go down the mine And waiting all day to come up and see the sunshine Yes, we sat on that bench and we laughed and we cried One day I went to the bench by the old squeaky gate I sat there for hours, with no sign of my mates Then one lads wife came over, she sat down and cried I knew straight away there was trouble down the mine My only thought was of blackened faces and cheeky grins As the tears for those men fell down my unshaven chin Now I sit alone, on that bench by the old squeaky gate I talk to myself and think of my mates But I know where they are, they told me you see On a seat by a big shinny gate in heaven, waiting for me And when they see me coming, I’ll say ‘sorry I’m late’ I wanted a last look at that bench by the old squeaky gate

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Lowton West Residents Meeting Residents in Lowton West (west side of Slag Lane and adjacent roads including Scott Road estate) have decided to form a non-political neighbourhood group to discuss local issues and work together to improve our area. A Constitution has been agreed and a committee formed with all posts being filled by volunteers. Meetings will take place on the last Tuesday of each month, 7.30pm in the Community Room at Manor Court and elected representatives will be invited along regularly to address residents concerns. Why not come along and find out what is happening in our local area and make some new friends?

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Did somebody say Snow Day? It looked like there was lots of fun to be had last month...

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